


in which elee is, in spite of herself, not a terrible mother

by Toe



Category: Quest Friends! (Podcast)
Genre: Gen, i sure hope i spelled mauve's name right, tbh this is mostly because i love the idea of soe in oversized sweaters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 13:00:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17142215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toe/pseuds/Toe
Summary: Elee has a hard time picking out a gift for Soe.





	in which elee is, in spite of herself, not a terrible mother

**Author's Note:**

> hahaha merry fools i said i would probs be posting this tomorrow but i was able to get the words to go sooner than anticipated so instead you're getting it today!!!!

Elee mentally ran down the lineup of her companions, then ran down it again, but puzzling out who would be able to help was harder than puzzling out what would make a good gift.

Misha wasn't going to be of any use to her. She cringed thinking of how attached they were to their stupid screeching kazoo. Xoc wouldn't be useful, either; he at least had an appreciation for human necessities like food, but she cringed thinking of how attached he was to Misha's stupid screeching kazoo.

Hopper had a level head on his shoulders, which at first made him seem like an ideal candidate. Elee's worry was that his head was, perhaps, a touch too level. He struck her as the sort of straight-laced dweeb who was thrilled to receive socks as a present.

Elee wouldn't normally have minded wandering through Roulettia's shops alone, but every new item she saw raised impossible questions. Would this be a good gift? And, more importantly: would this be a good gift for Soe?

Elee was a useless mom. She stared at a case full of artisan knives. She would have appreciated a gift like that at Soe's age, but the thought of Soe owning anything so dangerous gave her anxiety. Maybe it would be safer for her to have a knife, though. Something to protect herself with.

"Elee Badge," Mauve said.

Elee leapt. She had been too absorbed in considering the patterns of the Damascus steel to notice Mauve approaching. "Good timing. What knife would be best for a teenage daughter to use to protect herself but also that couldn't hurt her?"

"Well, if you don't want her getting hurt, maybe you shouldn't be looking at the knives." Mauve, infuriatingly, looked to be holding back laughter.

Elee fought back the urge to snap at Mauve for her tone. "What should I be looking at, then? A shield?" A shield. Maybe she should have brought Hopper along, after all.

"You know, I have some gift shopping of my own to do. Why don't we shop together?"

\--

It had taken time, but Mauve finally convinced Elee to avoid gifts that assumed Soe would end up in physical danger. That left Elee with fewer options than she would have liked.

"She's going to be happy no matter what you get her," Mauve had said, and that had only made things worse, because if Soe was going to love it, she had to make sure that it was something good, something worth loving.

Elee held out a bag towards Soe-- a plain brown shopping bag; she was worthless at wrapping things up pretty. "Here," she said gruffly, hoping Soe wouldn't notice how nervous she was. "For you. Happy holidays."

Soe took it curiously, looking at Elee with wide eyes. "You got me a present?"

Elee nodded, then gestured for her to go ahead.

The paper bag clattered to the floor as Soe lifted out a bulky knit sweater, which, now that Elee saw it next to her, was a few sizes too big. It wasn't armor, but it would keep her warm, and that was a form of protecting her, too, maybe.

It had been a stupid gift. Generic and ill-fitting. Elee would have to go back to the shops and find something better, or two somethings as an apology. She was prepared to bolt, but then Soe lifted the sweater over her head, gingerly pulling it down past her bow. It was gigantic on her, the sleeves sagging past her fingertips, but she grinned, waving the sleeves in joy.

There couldn't have been a better gift.


End file.
